Fallen King
by MistahRoi
Summary: Allow me to regale you with a tale two thousand years passed - a tale of treachery and betrayal at a time when the Six reigned, and men thrived under their vigilant watch. That is, until the Wicked brought the plague of Starscourge upon us. Do you love Ardyn? Do you hate him? Or do you love to hate him? Find out what made Ardyn into the man he was.
1. Chapter One: The Betrayer

" _You'll never guess whose name Izunia was."_

 _Allow me to regale you with a tale two thousand years passed - a tale of treachery and betrayal at a time when the Six reigned, and men thrived under their vigilant watch. That is, until the Wicked brought the plague of Starscourge upon us._

Black mist speckled the once vibrant blue heavens, dulling the brilliance of the sun as it rained down on one of the cities of Solheim. The people of the prosperous city only paused briefly to admire the strange sight before going on about their business. It was a day like any other, except that it wasn't - it would soon come, unequivocally, to an end.

A silver-haired, elderly woman stared into the darkening sky, enthralled by the particles falling from the sky and collecting on every surface. She hacked and wheezed, covering her mouth with an ivory, cotton handkerchief. Her grey eyes gazed in horror at the black ooze soaking into the cloth. Wetness dripping down the curve of her cheek beckoned her hand to swipe at it - more of the liquid.

The old woman's shrill shriek pierced through the bustling sound of the city. Her voice became raspy as her body contorted, liquefying into a puddle of aqua goo. Glowing, yellow eyes protruded from the blob as another wail ripped through the block.

The everyday hustle turned to screams and panic as the citizens of Solheim rushed to flee the terrifying creatures taking form throughout the city.

"Brother, what's happening? What are these monsters?" An onyx haired young man shouted above the grievous howling amidst the scattering people. A molten ball of flames shot past the man's head, the searing heat making him stumble back.

"Ain, watch out. I don't know where they came from, but they are not friendly." A second raven haired fellow blocked a barrage of lightning with a crystalline broadsword before it reached its target; a child crouched in a niche in the wall of a building.

"Ardyn, there's too many of them. Even with the Armiger, we can't save everyone." Ain wrapped his fingers around the hilt of a glaive and spun his body, the black coat tails of his jacket fanning out behind him as he utilized the momentum to throw the sword into the chest of a rotting samurai.

"We'll save as many as we can, then." A crystalline shield materialized in front of Ardyn as an orb of blazing green charged at him only to bounce back off the blockade. Its enormous, jagged mouth bellowed a yowl that threatened to pierce the two men's eardrums had they not covered their ears. The monstrosity swelled continuously until the air surrounding it crackled and its body began to glow. "Ain, take cover! It's going to explode!"

The blast roiled up dust from collapsing cement buildings and roads, sending a nebulous cloud twenty feet in every direction.

" _Why do we serve these wretches? They are weak and insignificant." Torrid waves of heat distorted the air around the Infernian as he spoke with animosity about the populace of Solheim._

" _It was the charge placed on us by the Divine Host. Because of our protection, they are allowed to flourish," the Fulgurian reminded as a violet lightning bolt danced down the length of his staff and vanished into sparks when it hit the stone floor._

" _But what do they offer us? We should just wipe them out and be done with it." Orange flames fluttered over Ifrit's bronze skin, his elbow propped on the skull armrest of his skeletal throne. He brushed a clawed hand through stringy chestnut hair hanging past his shoulders._

" _They do not need to offer us anything. As you say, they are weak and frail, and they require our protection." Water droplets froze in mid air from the Glacian's frosty breath as she spoke, falling like snowflakes to the ground. Shiva's icy presence countered the Pyreburner's scorching fury, preventing his fires from broiling the other gods._

" _Leviathan kills hordes of the pests every time her mortal body awakens. Why do I have to sit here and play nice to insects when she can do as she pleases?" The fires around Ifrit smoldered as his temper flared._

" _The calamities caused by Leviathan's body cannot be helped. The ocean's waters react to her body just like fire does to yours, and ice to Shiva," Ramuh exhorted, his voice booming like thunder during a storm._

" _And yet, she stays out in the world while you keep me in this secluded dungeon. Are you afraid I'll set the world on fire?" Ifrit propped his chin on the knuckles of his hand as he stared at the Fulgurian through hooded lids._

" _It is not I who keeps you here, Ifrit. The one who forbade you from the lands of Eos was Bahamut."_

 _Ifrit sneered at the name as he recalled the Draconian's decree. The self-proclaimed leader of the Hexatheon would only permit the Six to leave Pitioss in times of grave danger to humankind. If not for them, he'd be able to leave the hellish place that Bahamut forced him to live in. The thought of being cooped up in such a dark, cold place was maddening. Even with all his incandescence, Pitioss never appeared brighter than the blackest of nights._

Blood and ash decorated the once brimming city as the new monsters revelled in their dominance over the human population. The black mist devoured the light from the sky, leaving those left standing to stumble around in the darkness. The screams died down to soft mules, whimpers, and sobs as bodies continued to pile up.

Ardyn's scarf, once ivory, was now stained in crimson and muck from the explosion a short while ago. He clutched one of the glaives in his hand and gazed at the carnage scattered over the abandoned roads. "What a horrible sight." The back of his hand smeared the dirt and sweat across his forehead as he rubbed it across his face.

"I don't understand what's going on at all. Was this an attack? Who could have done something like this?" the questions poured from Ain's mouth before Ardyn could think of a response to even a single one.

"I do not have an answer, brother. I've never heard of such a thing in all of Eos' history." A pained look crossed Ardyn's face as his eyes shifted upward. _Are the Six testing us?_ His eyelids drooped closed, and his head fell as a tear rolled down his cheek.

Ain gripped his brother's shoulder and gave it a squeeze before he let his arm fall to his side again. "Ardyn, we will figure this out. None of our known enemies are capable of a feat such as this. It must be some kind of poison, or magic."

Metal creaked behind the two brothers, drawing their attention as a massive arm emerged from the ground. A giant of a creature hoisted itself up with metal clanging and scraping against the stone. It aimed the humongous sword it wielded at Ardyn and Ain and, with a sweeping attack, knocked both men off their feet.

" _What could it hurt to let me out for a little while? I promise I'll behave," the Infernian cajoled._

" _I'm afraid I cannot allow that. It is not my decision to make." The old man's astral essence was much smaller than his colossal mortal body that remained in the outside world._

" _What that dragon bastard doesn't know won't hurt me." Ifrit stared down Ramuh as they played a battle of wills, testing who would back down first._

" _You assume that Bahamut wouldn't find out, but we both know better. You must stay in here so that you do not incinerate the whole of Eos."_

 _Ifrit's features hardened as he glowered at the Fulgurian. "I grow bored of listening to you and your commands, geezer. I will decide what I do from now on." The Infernian vaulted from his throne of bone and flounced toward the entrance of Pitioss._

" _Stop! Ifrit, you can not leave!" Ramuh's voice thundered throughout the stone chamber._

 _Ifrit paused and turned to him. "You can't stop me in your astral form," he informed the God of Storms._

" _Do not underestimate me, Pyreburner." With his arm outstretched, lightning bolts sparked from the end of Ramuh's staff. Ifrit stood, unflinching, as the violet jolts streamed through his body and crashed into the wall behind him, causing no damage._

" _Just as I thought. You have no power to keep me here." The Flame God proceeded with his task, making for the doorway to freedom._

The monstrosity before Ardyn and Ain took little damage from their swords. Not even the magical glaives they wielded made a dent in the thing's iron husk. Each attack only served to anger the creature as it thrust sword and fist after each man, taking no heed in the surrounding areas.

"How are we supposed to defeat a giant made of metal?" Ain shouted over the scraping of steel on concrete when it swung its sword through the corner of a building.

Ardyn ducked behind debris as he plotted his next move against the iron giant. He watched the movements it made, the way the joints bent and twisted with every attack and defense. There had to be a weakness, they just hadn't found it yet. His eyes caught sight of a gap between the monster's head and bulky shoulders, and an idea formed. "Ain, can you keep him distracted? I think I know where the weak spot is."

"I can try, brother. But you'll have to hurry." Ain released the crystalline shield, and it vanished, a sword, as long as his body, replacing it. He charged the giant, the long sword dragging the ground behind him, until he was close enough to swing. It required every ounce of strength he could muster in order to haul the large blade above his head.

While Ain attacked from ground-level, Ardyn chunked his sword into the building behind the giant and disappeared in a phase of blue light. When he reappeared, he was hanging from the sword lodged into the stone wall above the monster. Ardyn stepped onto a narrow ledge and wiggled the weapon from the hole it created, careful not to lose balance. He positioned himself over the fighting and dropped. His coat tails whipped in the wind as he descended from a near twenty-five foot building.

The giant howled in pain as the sword sunk to the hilt into the back of its neck, arms flailing and reaching behind to grasp for the man. After the monster's body drooped toward the ground, Ardyn yanked his glaive from its neck and leapt off. The giant's metal body collapsed in on itself and shattered to dust.

"We did it." Ain let out an exasperated sigh as he fell to his knees. His laugh permeated the air, thick with the mist blocking out the sunlight.

Ardyn gazed at his chuckling brother and took a relieved breath as he tried to calm his racing heart from the encounter. If he fought that monster with anyone else aside from Ain, things wouldn't have played out so well. He was the one person Ardyn could rely on inexplicably. He was his twin, and they had been inseparable since the womb. _Ain is an extension of me, and I of him._

The laughter ceased while Ain inspected the sky, noticing the black veil that eclipsed it beyond the mist. "Is it night? It can't be - it was mid-day when all this started." His eyes fell to Ardyn, and a sense of panic coursed through him.

Heavy footsteps sounded from around the corner of a large skyscraper as a familiar metal scraping stone noise followed. The clomping of the footfalls grew louder until they stopped at the edge of the street.

"Another one?" Ardyn helped Ain up and they scurried to the side of the building for cover from the new enemy's line of sight. "I don't have it in me to fight another one."

"Nor do I. What do we do?" Ain asked, looking to his brother for advice.

"What _can_ we do?"

The metal whined and groaned as the giant rounded the corner, its copper tone glinting in the fires burning in the streets. Its red, glowing eyes caught a glimpse of the twins and lurched in their direction, sprinting at them with rapidly increasing momentum.

 _The field Ifrit laid in was bare, aside from the luscious, green grass, without a single living being for miles. He chose it with care, intent on proving to his brethren that he could be trusted with the lives of humans on Eos rather than spend his time locked away in a dank, dark dungeon. The Infernian propped his leg on his knee, foot bouncing up and down as he stared at the heavens in appreciation of the puffy white clouds. They dotted the bright, blue sky, and the sun shown through them in golden rays of light. Fires burned around his body and devoured the grassy pasture, orange tendrils of flame reaching toward the sky and flickering in the gentle afternoon breeze. Luck was on his side when he chose to leave; a spell Bahamut placed on Pitioss only allowed the door to unlock when the sun was up. "Ah, fresh air after so long is quite the treat," he said aloud to himself._

" _Ifrit, what have you done?" He instantly recognized the voice of the Draconian._

" _I've done nothing but enjoy the rare moment of freedom." Ifrit gazed past the dragon armor and into the blue-grey eyes of the Hexatheon leader._

" _You have set this field ablaze just by being here. You are carelessly burning your surroundings while paying no heed to anyone else but you," Bahamut admonished the Infernian._

" _I made sure there were no humans around." Ifrit_ tsked _at his brother, annoyance interwoven in his voice._

" _Even though they are not here today, this field is where they grow their crops, and you have nonchalantly scorched everything." The Draconian's presence was one that demanded respect, even in his ethereal form. "You must go back to Pitioss, now."_

 _Ifrit leaned his legs up and sprang from the ground, pushing off with the heels of his hands. He landed in a crouched position and glared up at Bahamut's astral body. "I will not." Despite the warm glow of his reddish orange eyes, they looked upon the dragon coldly._

" _Your presence here is dangerous, Ifrit. You're a threat to the humans. Your mere existence on this plane threatens their lives," Bahamut insisted._

" _I am no more a danger than Shiva, and you allow her to be free of that Hellhole," Ifrit spat as the flames surrounding him reacted to his anger by flaring out._

" _Shiva is a kind soul who doesn't allow her emotions to rule her. She leaves her mortal body in an isolated mountain and uses her ethereal body to interact with the people of Eos. You do not. Or have you forgotten the fiasco that happened a century ago? You are a fickle being who cares only about his own pleasures." The Draconian's speech was calm while Ifrit only became more enraged with every word spoken._

 _The Infernian recalled the events that Bahamut spoke of. He fought a particularly nasty enemy machine from an unnamed opposition and as a result, scorched a third of the Solheim empire's territory. The land never recovered, becoming a desolate wasteland of a desert._

" _That was not my fault. I was trying to protect the citizen's of Solheim from our enemy."_

" _And yet you killed a third of the population and showed no remorse for it. They demanded you be sealed away, and the rest of the Six agreed." The dragon grasped for the Infernian's arm to force him back into Pitioss._

 _Ifrit wrenched away from his brother God. "I will not go back to that pit of Hell. It will drive me mad."_

" _That is the consequence of your actions." The Draconian was as cold as the mountaintop Shiva sat upon._

 _The Flame God's face contorted with anger. "Do they really mean that much to you?" Ifrit growled deep within his throat, lost in his anger. "I will destroy the humans you would value over me, your own brother and equal by all rights. They will kill each other in the eternal darkness." His body dematerialized into a lavender crystal before crumbling and vanishing into the astral plane._

 _Bahamut stared up at the sky as he pondered the words Ifrit spoke. "Eternal darkness… He doesn't mean that, does he?"_

The red giant gripped Ardyn in one of its massive fists and Ain in the other, squeezing the brothers in an iron grasp. Their bones ground together under the immense pressure, cracking and popping in ways no human body ever should.

"Ardyn… Are we really going to let it end here… like this?" Ain gasped for air that his body couldn't take in, his lungs being crushed in the giant's hand.

"I can't…" Ardyn played scenario after scenario in his mind, but none of them ended well for either twin. They needed some kind of miracle, help of any kind to save them from this mess of a situation. _It's getting harder to breathe._ Ardyn wheezed as the remnants of oxygen squeezed out of him little by little.

An enormously oversized blade shoved through the copper carapace of the giant, all but slicing it in half. The monster dropped the brothers, and its body slowly melted into the ground in a puddle of black liquid.

Ardyn's eyes followed along the gargantuan sword to the sky until it disappeared into the darkness. "What is that thing?"

"A sword, but _what_ could use a weapon that huge?" Ain gawked at the prodigious thing lodged in the cement.

A mammoth humanoid being phased into existence and pulled the sword from its resting place. Dark navy armor in the shape of a dragon covered the entirety of his body, gold and silver wings made of blades extending out behind him. The blue-grey eyes peered at the twins standing before him, judging them of worthiness.

"I-impossible… could it be… the Draconian, Bahamut?" Ardyn stuttered in sheer amazement as he stared at the colossal being.

"The leader of the Six? Why is he here?" Ain's gaze shifted from the god to Ardyn.

"What is your name, human?" the dragon inquired with eyes on Ardyn.

"I am Ardyn Lucis Caelum, this is my brother Ain," Ardyn answered, hiding his fear with sheer determination so that the Draconian wouldn't deem to smite them.

"You can understand him?" When the god spoke, it sounded as if he talked in gibberish to Ain, with a static buzz that nearly pained him to listen to.

"Yes, can you not?" Ardyn's eyebrow arched at his brother's question. Bahamut spoke clear as the crystalline glaives they wielded.

"Only the chosen can understand the language of the Hexatheon. You have a special magic, the Armiger, do you not?" Bahamut's voice was stern and his vast presence nearly made Ardyn's knees buckle.

"I do." Adryn stared hesitantly up at the God. "Can you tell me what's going on? These monsters came out of nowhere, and this darkness-"

"It is all Ifrit's doing. He seeks to destroy all of mankind and trap me and my brethren in Pitioss, which only opens during daylight hours. By bringing the Starscourge to the mortal realm, he has succeeded in bringing about night everlasting."

"Starscourge? Is that the black mist that we saw earlier today?" Ardyn asked the humongous being.

"Yes, Starscourge is a cloud of photosynthetic organisms that drink light before it reaches the ground. It originates from the astral realm. In a child-like temper tantrum, Ifrit brought it to the mortal realm."

"What is he saying, Ardyn?" Ain chimed in, completely lost in the conversation between his brother and a God.

"The Infernian brought something called _Starscourge_ here, and it's the cause of this darkness." Ardyn glanced at Ain as he answered the question.

"It is also the cause of humans turning into daemons, the monsters that you mentioned previously. It is the ultimate source of daemons as a commonly occurring parasitic protozoa."

"Why have you come here? Is Ifrit in this city?" Ardyn's suspicions led him to believe there was more to the Draconian's visit than a chat, or even that it was so simple to find the Flame God.

"We Gods _will not_ sit by and allow Ifrit to do as he pleases. But we cannot fight him and heal those afflicted with the Starscourge. We have chosen two with whom to entrust this task while we take care of the Infernian."

"And I'm one of two? Who's the other?" Ardyn could scarce believe the words he heard from the God; he was just an ordinary man with no special talent aside from the ability to summon glaives to fight. "Why me?"

"I have seen into your heart, Ardyn. You have a pure soul and truly wish to help all those in need." The dragon's words held the truth of it. Ardyn always tried to offer aid to those he crossed paths with.

"Let me help you defeat Ifrit. The Starscourge will keep flowing into our world unless he's dealt with, right? Allow me the honor of assisting you in his downfall." Ardyn knelt on one knee and bowed his head before the Draconian in submittance.

"Ardyn, what are you saying? What is it you mean to do?" Fear laced Ain's voice as he spoke to his brother, fear and something else - jealousy.

"I'm going to kill a God." Ardyn's chocolate eyes met his brothers, sincerity in them as a small smirk crept up his lips.

"Very well. I will allow you to aid us in the Great War." Bahamut reached down with his jumbo sized hand and scooped Ardyn up.

"Wait! What am I supposed to do?" Ain yelled up after his twin.

"Protect the citizens of Solheim from the daemons. I will come back, I promise." Adryn's voice faded into the distance as the Dragon God's body shattered into millions of violet crystalline pieces and vanished, taking Ardyn with him.


	2. Chapter Two: Brothers

A group of imps surrounded Ain, simultaneously launching waves of bright purple flames at the onyx-haired man. He summoned his crystalline shield to block the fire, quickly replacing it with a javelin and spinning in a circle. Black blood splattered the concrete as the imps fell and melted away into nothingness.

Ardyn vanished nearly a day ago, leaving Ain to fend off the hordes of monsters on his own. What was he supposed to do? _Protect the citizens of Solheim._ How? He was on his own. Even with all his training with the armiger, there was only so much a single man could accomplish. And while he was here, cleaning out the rabble, where was Ardyn? In the presence of the _Gods_ , strategizing about fighting and _killing_ another. He ground his teeth together as a crystalline dagger exchanged places with the javelin. The blade buried in the head of a humanoid daemon after he tossed it, warping to the hobgoblin. The weapons changed again, and he held a crossbow up, popping off three arrows into the skulls of more enemies. "I don't get it. I'm much stronger than Ardyn. Why am _I_ on cleanup duty?" he growled to himself, frustrated at being left behind.

A new creature appeared before Ain - one he hadn't seen before. Tentacles dangled from its face and waist, giving it the appearance of a cloak with fleshy arms and suction cups as they curled on themselves while it hovered slightly above the ground. Yellow orbs peered at him from an elongated charcoal face, making no move toward Ain. He watched the daemon carefully, wary of its intentions as it hovered lazily. Would it attack? Or did it plan to just stare at him? Either way, he wasn't going to wait to find out.

The crossbow vanished as a broadsword took its place, and Ain charged the monster with vigor. He slashed the blade across the daemon's chest, a trail of obsidian blood flying through the air. The monster wailed, the sound high-pitched and similar to a fork scraping across a ceramic plate. Ain clutched his ears, eyes squeezing shut as the voice rang through his head. It felt like his head was splitting open, the cry bouncing off the walls of his mind, shredding his cerebral cortex.

Ain's knees buckled as the pain in his head continued to rapidly increase. He couldn't take much more of it; it was unbearable. His body doubled over, forehead smacking into the ground - it had to be less painful, right? Nails dug into the thin flesh around his ears as blood trickled down over his cheeks and centered at the bridge of his nose before dripping to the concrete. Ain's pupils constricted to pinpoints, nearly overwhelmed by the icy blue irises as he felt his mind breaking. His body jolted straight up, blood trailing down along the curves of his face and neck before belting out a scream that echoed down the empty side street.

The dark, gloomy chambers of Pitioss were like something out of Ardyn's worst nightmares, each room exceedingly darker than the last. When they arrived at the entrance, Ardyn was nearly blinded by the brightness of the sun. After battling with the daemons in the black of night, the warmth of the sun was a welcomed feeling against his skin. His clothes were covered in ink-like ooze, dirt, and his own blood. _This is rather disgusting. I could use fresh clothes and a shower,_ was his first thought. Unfortunately, there was little to no time for that. Bahamut immediately beckoned him inside the dungeon before Ifrit caught a whiff of their intent.

"These walls separate us from the outside world on more than one plane. In here, we are safe from prying eyes and ears. Ifrit will not be able to hear us speak, so you may do so freely." The being that walked in front of him was only the Draconian's ethereal body; the real one vanished after they arrived. Even cut down to the size of a regular man, the Dragon's presence was overwhelming.

Bahamut led Ardyn into a chamber with a table situated in the middle with six stone chairs circling it. It must be for the six gods to gather and discuss worldly matters, but why would the Dragon God bring him to such a place? And more importantly… "Will you tell me exactly what it is that you've chosen me to do?"

"You have been chosen to stop the Starscourge, to heal Solheim of this plague. Only a person willing to make sacrifices would be capable of this feat. You have shown selflessness on several occasions to prove yourself worthy of our gift." The tip of the Draconian's forefinger touched Ardyn's forehead, and a flash of images shot through his mind of him heedlessly putting himself in harm's way to save people time and again. Was it such a rare occurrence? Was it not _natural_ to help those in need? He had always thought so; it came as a second nature to him. But something bothered him about what the Dragon God said: _the Starscourge could be healed_? "Do you mean to tell me, I've been killing innocent people when, instead, I could have been healing them?" A pit formed in his stomach at the thought of destroying so many lives.

"No. For the humans that turn into daemons, there is no returning them to their former selves. They have already lost their humanity and embraced the darkness. However, there are those that will hold out against it for as long as possible. They will merely be infected and not yet turned. You will be able to heal those people by removing the parasitic Starscourge from their systems."

A sigh of relief slipped from Ardyn's lips. Living with himself would be no easy task if he were responsible for the needless deaths of so many. Still, a twinge of pain in his chest reminded him that those daemons had once been human. What must it be like to turn into one? Did the consciousness remain intact until the moment they died? Or did it shut down completely, leaving the human it once was a shell of their former self? It must be agony to go through, not just physically, but mentally as well. "Will I need to be cured? I was exposed to the Starscourge while I was fighting."

"Your curative magic has already taken care of the parasites in your body. You need not fret over it," Bahamut told him.

"In order to cure the Starscourge plague, we must stop it from leaking into our world, correct?" Ardyn asked of the Draconian, remembering that it was Ifrit who brought it from the astral plane and to the realm humanity resided. It made no sense to continually cure people when they would only be infected again. Plugging the hole, so to speak, was the most important task.

"Yes. Stopping it is paramount to our plan. If it is allowed to continue in the moral realm, humanity will cease to exist."

Ardyn searched his mind for the right words, ones that would not offend the God in front of him. "To do that, we must defeat Ifrit. Will you tell me, why has the Infernian done such a terrible thing?"

Bahamut remained silent, his stormy eyes seemingly peering into the core of Ardyn's being. The silence was long, too long, and the man began to think he overstepped the bounds of what the God allowed for him to know.

"I will tell you, but first, I must summon the other Gods here so that we may discuss our plan of action against our brethren." A stone in the corner of the room shone turquoise, illuminating the room in a bright blue light. Ardyn shielded his eyes from the light, unable to focus on anything near the source of it. "Hexatheon, heed my call. Bring forth your mortal bodies to Pitioss to prepare for war. The Starscourge has been released, and it needs to be cleansed," the Draconian's voice roared into the light.

The light emitted faint voices, all speaking at once in harsh tones that Ardyn could scarcely understand. Although the sound was quiet, he could sense the anger and disappointment interlaced within each voice. There were even hints of sorrow, but why wouldn't there be? Ifrit was their brother. The mere thought of having to fight Ain turned Ardyn's veins to ice, but his brother would never betray him in such a manner.

The murmurs ceased for a few moments before a clearer voice spoke through the light, "Bahamut, the Starscourge has reached Pitioss and blocked out the sun; there is no way for us to get into the dungeon."

"Can't they just project their astral selves in here with us, like you?" Ardyn's brows knitted together in confusion. It should be easy for them- that's how they usually communicated with humans, or so he thought. But then, he remembered: _These walls separate us from the outside world on more than one plane._

"Without sunlight, the entrance of Pitioss is sealed. With the seal intact, they cannot project themselves in, nor can I leave." The Dragon made for the doorway, leaving Ardyn behind.

"We're stuck then? How are we going to fight Ifrit from in here?" Ardyn's heart leapt to his throat - was he mistaken to come along with the Draconian after all? If he was stuck in the dungeon, he could help no one.

"I inscribed the runes on these walls, and I can change them to allow Pitioss to open." The God's voice never faltered.

The Infernian sat atop the Rock of Ravatogh, the highest peak in the empire's territories. It was desolate and steep - no human would dare climb the mountain. From the top, Ifrit could see for miles, though the reason for choosing the mountain was a simple one: it overlooked the hellhole, Pitioss. However, in the dark of night, he could hardly see much of anything past what his own flames illuminated.

He hunched in his throne of bones, lips drawn down in a frown as fire danced between his fingertips. The Starscourge was the perfect weapon to use against the insects, but it reminded him of his confinement in the dungeon. The night eternal _seemed_ like the perfect plan to strike back at Bahamut with, but in practice only served to fuel his anger. At least in the depths of Pitioss, he had Ramuh, Shiva, Leviathan, and Titan to converse with, even if they quibbled more often than not. Since his departure, there was none to talk with, leaving him alone to mull over every act against him over the centuries.

The Divine Host created the Six and left the humans in their care. Ifrit never understood the need for such weak beings. Why did the Divine Host create them? And why make the Gods watch over them like some kind of… guardians? Though he never grasped why he was charged with the task, he did as he was bid. In times of peril, he stepped up and offered aid to those in need. He may have looked at each with contempt, but he brought them out of an icy winter that lasted for months on end. He protected them from monsters that thrashed small villages, taking many lives and destroying even more.

A century ago, an opposing empire sent a giant mechanized being to crush the cities of Solheim. The Infernian had never seen such a monstrosity created by the hands of humans before. It stood its own against him, _a God_. The machine matched not only his strength but his swiftness as well. His flame appeared to have no outwardly effect on the metal, baffling him completely. There should be no element in Eos that could withstand the fire of the Flame God, yet no matter how much he threw at the thing, it came out unscathed. He pushed himself, calling forth the hottest inferno burning within his body, _Hellfire_ , to defeat the machine. The conflagration left nothing of the enemy, and as a price for wielding such power, he lost the ability to use magic with his left arm. The skin turned to ash, and even though he could still use it for menial things, it was never the same.

Ifrit stared at his ashen left hand as he recalled the events that followed that horrific fight. The land was scarred, torn asunder from the fierce battling between the two enormous beings. Fires spread across dry grass, engulfing entire fields. He tried to dowse them every time he caught a break from the onslaught of attacks, but he couldn't reach them all. When he used his trump card, the Hellfire, the blaze spanned from horizon to horizon. Orange and red tendrils danced and licked at the sky, reaching even above _his_ head. Without the ability to use magic with one hand, there was no way for him to extinguish it all; he couldn't save the populace of that region, despite having fought so hard to protect them.

The Hellfire burned for weeks, leaving nothing in its wake but devastation. Ifrit searched for survivors, putting out the fires as he went, but he found nothing - no bodies or even bones. It didn't surprise him. Hellfire was the hottest burning fire known, hot enough to even burn the flesh of an astral such as himself.

When Ifrit finally encountered life again, the people were angry, furious at all the damage he'd inflicted on them and their lands. " _I never meant to harm any of you or your families. I was trying to_ protect _you,"_ he had insisted. But they refused to listen to him. They refused to understand what he _tried_ to do for them, only caring that his fire devoured the entire region. They demanded justice, that he make a recompense. Bahamut showed up to make an attempt at quelling the masses, but the populace wouldn't back down.

" _He's a menace! Every time he comes to help, he does more harm than good!"_

" _Lock 'im up!"_

" _We don't need a God who destroys everything he touches!"_

" _Lock him up! Lock him up!" The entire crowd chanted together._

 _The Draconian gave him a sorrowful look as the people continued their chanting. It felt like someone poured hot lead in Ifrit's stomach. These creatures were chanting for his imprisonment, and all he wanted to do was help them. Was he to be punished for doing a good deed? Why didn't they understand? That machine would have ravaged all of Solheim if he hadn't stopped it. "Bahamut, I…"_

 _The Dragon God gave a shake of his head as if to say 'stay quiet.' Ifrit bit his tongue, fully realizing what that expression meant for him and his future._

How could that dragon bastard choose those pesky weaklings over _him_? Why wouldn't he even _listen_ to him when he tried to tell him what happened? Bahamut decreed that Ifrit be confined to Pitioss unless there came a time of immense danger to the world.

For one hundred long years, the Infernian complied with what his brethren commanded, silently stewing in his anger until it built up to an unsuppressable rage. He would often explore the dungeon, traversing the numeral paths, finding that it was much deeper than he thought. Each of the Gods could come and go as they pleased, and there was always at least one there to make sure he never left. The Draconian wrote seals over the walls that were activated by the sunlight, allowing it to remain open to the world during daytime alone. Once night fell, it sealed off completely; even in ethereal forms, the Gods couldn't get in or out. Bahamut intended for the dungeon to be a gathering place - a home of sorts, but turned it into a cell long ago. He couldn't access the astral plane from inside Pitioss, couldn't phase his mortal body there for escape. The other Gods lost faith in him, and he never understood why - that was, until his _discovery_ in the depth of that Hell.

Having been lost in thought, the Infernian failed to notice the flames burning wildly around him, the rage he felt inside being reflected outwardly in the dancing fires. He clutched his left hand into a fist, claws digging into his palms as blood oozed from his flesh and dripped to the ground. It boiled and sizzled until it turned to ash and blew away in the harsh mountaintop winds. "I'll destroy everything in this world and let my Hellfire consume it entirely. I will stop at nothing until I get revenge."

Ain's heart thrummed in his chest as his voice bellowed out of him like some kind of dying animal. His throat was raw from his cries, the taste of iron thick in his mouth. He wasn't sure where the blood came from - his thoughts were a jumbled mess. His eyes caught a glimpse of movement; the monster before him finally made its move. The mindflayer zigzagged as it rushed him. Even if it came straight at him, Ain couldn't form a coherent thought to defend himself. He clamped his eyes shut and accepted that this was where he would die.

"We got a live one over here!"

"Well, then kill it. Don't just announce it."

"Tch. It's one of them mind scramblin' things. Can't take it on my own."

"Indeed. It seems you are quite incapable against these things."

Ain's eyes popped open at the sound of unfamiliar voices, darting around to find the sources. He couldn't focus on anything in the infernal darkness surrounding him. This wouldn't be happening if Ardyn hadn't left him behind. The pressure building inside his head suddenly vanished - no more pain, no more screams in his mind. Everything became clear in an instant. Two men stood over the monster's bloodied corpse. One of them a rugged behemoth of a man and the other one refined, his silver-rimmed glasses giving him a sophisticated look.

"Who-" Ain didn't even get the full question out before his body fell limp and crashed to the cement below him.

Ain's eyes slowly blinked open, his head pounding from the mental assault dealt to him in the fight. The two men conversed quietly a few feet away from where he lie. His gaze fell on the sable cloth hanging all around him. Where was he? In a tent, perhaps. He moved to lean up, but his entire body ached from pains he didn't know were possible to have.

"Whoa, there, bud. You almost got yourself killed back there, you shouldn't be movin' around," The giant man said to him.

A lock of onyx hair dropped down over Ain's eye before he tucked it behind his ear. "Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here?"

"One question at a time. I am Verus Scientia. My large friend here is Gravitas Amicitia. As for where you are, it's a small encampment of survivors. Most of the buildings around here have been abandoned. We secured this one and took shelter in it from those monsters." Ain listened to the spectacled man's explanation.

"You two saved me?" Ain knew the answer. Why else would he be here with them?

"Damn skippy we did. How's about a name?" Gravitas asked as he eyed the smaller, injured man.

"Ain Lucis Caelum."

"Sounds like an important guy." Gravitas smirked at Verus, sending a wave of uncertainty down Ain's spine.

"Not at all." It was the truth, Ain wasn't the one the Gods chose. He wasn't like Ardyn. They were twins, born a mere nine minutes apart, yet Ardyn was the one who received all the world had to offer simply by being born first. Neither knew their parents, left alone outside a small village in the Cleigne region. It was mere coincidence they happened to be in the city when the - what did Ardyn call it? _Starscourge_? Whenever the Starscourge began to take over the people and turn them into daemons.

Ain heard the buzz of people just on the other side of the black curtain, and it gnawed at his curiosity. "You said this was a camp of survivors? How many people are here?" It astounded him that there were still people in the city. After Ardyn left, he hadn't seen a single soul aside from the daemons.

"Yes, there are close to a hundred citizens holed up here currently. We go out and look for more, along with a few other capable men, and then we guide them here," Verus answered.

"You seem like a strong fella, takin' on all them monsters like you were," Gravitas said with an impressed smirk. "What kinda magic you use? I saw you with at least three different weapons. Changin' em out with some kinda blue light."

"It's called the Armiger. My brother and I can summon different crystalline weapons to fight."

"Why call it Armiger?" The burly man arched a brow at the unusual name.

"Because the magic brings forth arms - weapons," Ain responded coolly.

"You said you have a brother? Where is he now? If he can use that ability as well, you will both be quite the welcome addition to our entourage," Verus said with a hint of hopefulness in his voice.

A tinge of jealousy shot down Ain's spine, but he shook it off instantly. He didn't need Ardyn's help; he could assist these people on his own. His brother had his head in the clouds with the astrals, leaving these humans in Ain's hands while _he_ ran off to play hero. "My brother is preoccupied with something else. He left the city a day ago." He didn't want to tell them precisely where Ardyn was - or what he was doing. They needn't know for the time being. Verus and Gravitas' minds should stay focused on helping the people of the city.

"I see. That's too bad. But at least we have you with us. We _do_ have you with us, right?" Verus peered at Ain expectantly.

"Of course. I will do all I can to ensure the safety of every survivor we find. I give you my word." This was the opportunity he needed, one away from Ardyn's shadow. He wanted to show his brother that he was capable of great deeds, too, to have people praise him for his own strength instead of being combined with Ardyn. He had love for his brother but never felt like _he_ was seen.

An elderly woman shambled through the curtain and said, "Is he awake? Have him drink this." She pressed a vial of bright green liquid into Gravitas' large hand, and then she left the three of them alone again.

Ain swung his legs over the side of the cot and pushed himself up stumbling toward Gravitas, who caught him as he lost his balance.

"Here." The bulky man handed Ain the vial the old woman gave him moments before.

The onyx-haired man popped the top off and turned it up over his mouth, swallowing the mixture in one gulp. "Minty," he said with a grin. The pain immediately subsided and his wounds rapidly healed, leaving little to no trace. "Now, if you will, tell me _exactly_ what it is you need of me - I am obliged to help as a thanks for you saving my life."

Ardyn stared in awe-filled wonder at the five ethereal beings seated around the stone table in Pitioss. Each God, individually, had such an immensely intimidating presence, he felt like he might be crushed just being in the same vicinity as them. In all of the recorded history of Eos, no human ever sat amongst the Six. Shiva's icy, porcelain skin gave her an air of coldness, but Ardyn found she was much kinder than her appearance lead him to believe.

"What are we going to do about Ifrit?" Her cool voice matched her in every way, speaking in a cadence that could almost lull him to sleep if not for the chill in the air surrounding her.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Titan spat. "We drag him back here and put him in that cage." His personality seemed to match his rough exterior - hard and calloused.

"We agreed we would never do that again. It is much too cruel." Ramuh took on the image of an old man, irises glowing in a bright magenta color. What was this cage? Would it be enough to hold the Flame God? Ardyn doubted that it could, unless it was made of some otherworldly - astral material. _But judging from the way they speak, it would seem they have utilized it in the past. Against the Infernian, I wonder?_

"We must kill him - _immediately_. He knows too much, and if he were to-" The Hydraean was interrupted before she finished.

"Silence! _That_ is not something I mean to have discussed here." The Draconian's voice reverberated off the stone walls. Muted silence fell over the room; even Ardyn was afraid to so much as breath for fear of the Dragon's anger zeroing in on him. "You all know as well as I that _we_ cannot kill Ifrit. Not his astral essence," Bahamut continued, easing the thick tension.

"Is that not why I'm here? I am _not_ one of you, after all," Ardyn spoke, his voice shaking from being vastly overwhelmed with the astrals potentiality.

"Ardyn, you cannot kill Ifrit any more than we can. We will have to imprison him," said the Glacian.

"Why is this _welp_ even here?" Leviathan questioned.

"He is here to help up us defeat Ifrit and bring an end to the Starscourge," Bahamut replied, blue-grey eyes growing stormy with impatience.

"Is that a wise idea, Bahamut? Ifrit will try to do something devious if he finds out about the boy."

 _Boy_? Ardyn scoffed at the thought. He was no _boy_ , and if he had to prove it to these Gods, he would. "If it's a lack of faith in my abilities, I assure you, I am quite the capable fighter."

"It is not a lack of faith in _you,_ Ardyn," Bahamut said, gaze shifting from his brethren to Ardyn and back again. " _That_ matter aside, we can lure Ifrit here. Once he's in, and we are all clear, I will rewrite the inscription and seal this place forever."

Ardyn sat in silence, tuning out their voices as his mind latched onto the topic they were avoiding. There was something they were hiding from him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Did it have to do with Ifrit and why he betrayed them? Bahamut told him that the Infernian was just throwing a temper tantrum - how true was that? "Why did Ifrit betray you? Strike out on his own and decide to destroy all of Eos?" He had to know the whole truth.

Silence. Long, unnerving minutes of it.

"Ifrit's temper has always been a problem," Shiva started. "It's caused the deaths of countless humans over the centuries. When the Goddess Eos disappeared, he rampaged."

"His love for her blinded him, and though he calmed his anger, he has been a fickle being ever since," The Fulgurian added.

"A century ago, he wiped out a third of Solheim on a whim. We had no choice but to imprison him inside of Pitioss. It was for the sake of humanity." It was the first time Ardyn heard any emotion in Bahamut's voice - sorrow.

Ardyn's stomach tied in knots, having to lock up a brother couldn't have been easy for the Gods. But if they didn't, Ifrit would probably burn the world up and leave nothing in his wake. Could he do such a thing? If it were Ain? Would he be able to turn his back on his brother to save the world? Such thoughts left a dull ache in his heart. "How do you mean to lure him here?"

"With all of us gathered here, he will, without a doubt, come for the revenge he thinks he deserves."


	3. Chapter 3: Surviving

Chapter Three:To Survive

Gravitas launched Ain off the broadside of his giant sword, sending the man barreling into a swarm of gelatin mass. He chunked a crystalline dagger into the center of one, warping to it in a teal haze, and he tore through it. The small blade vanished as a double-edged sword appeared in its place. Ain swept the glaive across three more of the blobs, resulting in them pooling on the cement. Verus shoved a spear through another two, kicking a third away from the onyx-haired man's back. Gravitas slashed through the last of them with his massive blade.

They had cleaned out several streets surrounding the ever increasing survivors, yet they never put a dent in the amount of monsters that came for them.

Ain wiped black ooze from his charcoal sleeves, though it didn't much improve the filth already coating him. How many days had it been? It was impossible to tell; Ain couldn't remember the last time he saw light - only this hellish nightmare of darkness and never-ending daemons. He spent his time with Verus and Gravitas, protecting the citizens of Solis, but they never improved their situation. Things only got worse; it was only a matter of time before they would be overrun. He wiped sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "Verus, Gravitas, we need to discuss the future of our encampment."

"What'd ya mean, Ain? There'll be no future if we don't protect it." Gravitas quirked an eyebrow at the slender man.

"Gravitas is right. All we can do is what we currently are. What is there to discuss?" Verus peered at Ain over the rims of his glasses.

"We can't keep this up. I'm not sure if either of you have noticed, but more of these monsters appear every hour. Their numbers are increasing. We've been fortunate enough to not come face to face with anything fiercely strong yet, but it's only a matter of time."

"What do you suggest?"

"I think we should evacuate everyone." It was a hard pill to swallow, but the chances of them holding out in the middle of Solis were slimming by the second. They needed a safer place to go, somewhere hidden, somewhere closed off.

"Evacuate? Are you nuts? How are we gonna move all those people? How will we keep 'em all safe? Where would we even go?" Gravitas' concerns were legitimate. Ain didn't know the city at all or the surrounding areas. However, the one thing he did know, they would all die if they stayed.

"Are there any areas on the outskirts of the city that are walled off? If we can get the people there, then they will be easier to protect. We have enough men to fight off the smaller daemons and protect the sick and injured." All he needed was the place; if they gave him that, he could take care of the rest.

"Well, there are the underground channels. But they are on the farthest outreaches of the city," Verus answered.

"Show me the way." It came out more as more of an order than a request, but Ain had no time for courtesies if they were to move so many people in the dark and unforgiving city full of monsters.

"Are you kiddin' me? We can't leave these people unguarded for that long," Gravitas objected.

"Gravitas, if you stay and hold the parameter, I can show Ain the way to the channels."

Gravitas _tsked_ at the man in glasses. "Better hurry your asses up then." His large arms folded across his chest.

"But of course," the spectacled man said as his gaze shifted from Gravitas to Ain. "Follow me. I'll take you to the channels."

As Ain and Verus made their way through Solis, the once thriving capital of Solheim, they witnessed the horrors of the night as the daemons ravaged the darkened buildings and tore them down. Ain instantly recognized the roar he heard in the distance as one of the giants he fought with Ardyn before he disappeared. _Sounds like it's far away and in the wrong direction. We should be safe._ "How much further?"

"It's just across the bridge," Verus replied.

Ain couldn't see the opposite end of the overpass; it was much too dark. However, it didn't deter him from his goal as he jogged past Verus and headlong into the unknown. It was eerily quiet on the bridge, no daemons at all in fact. It didn't sit right with Ain. Why were there no daemons in this area? Did they only go where there was an influx of people? If so, why? What did they want with the populace? Ain shook his head. _Focus. You have hundreds of people relying on you._

"Up ahead, to the left. That's where the entrance to the channel is," Verus instructed and Ain veered off after he cleared the railing of the bridge.

A concrete tunnel descended steeply under the surface of the street. Ain couldn't tell exactly how far down it went as he stood at the edge of it. He noticed wires trailing down the bottom of the wall and sought out the source. He followed the cables until he came upon a generator sitting idly by. Solis had been without power since the never-ending night started, but if he could get the people some light, maybe they'd be willing to make the trek here. He flipped the switch, and the machine shuddered and buzzed to life. A faint hum came from the tunnel and Ain shuffled back to the entrance to peer into it once again. Lights flickered dimly as far down as he could see, and his lips curled up in a smile. With this, it should be no problem getting the survivors to agree to come.

"Verus, I think this is the perfect spot for us to move everyone to." Ain spun around to find the spectacled man staring out over the border of the city, eyes wide, brows drawn up. "What is it, Verus? What's wrong?"

"This darkness...it isn't just Solis, is it?"

Ain joined him and followed his gaze, the night sky stretched over the horizon, casting the entirety of Eos in blackness. "What did you expect? That you'd reach the city gates and see light? There is no more light." Ain's tone was harsher than he intended as he remembered what Ardyn said about the darkness. How long would it take him to defeat Ifrit and rid the world of this cursed Starscourge? The daemons only grew stronger the longer this night stretched on. "We should get back and formulate a plan to get everyone here."

"Absolutely not. It's too dangerous to move this many people with those monsters out there." A stubborn, older fellow claimed leadership over the camp Ain and the others protected. He never budged from his decisions, no matter how much logic and planning Ain threw at him.

"If we stay here, we'll all succumb to them. There are lights in the channels. These people won't have to live by candles and finicky flashlights anymore," Ain pushed, hoping that he could convince the man to leave.

"The answer is no. We've held out just fine so far. Why would we risk that to go gallivanting off to some sewer?" the old man spat.

"Because the longer we wait here, the stronger the possibility we have of being attacked by the bigger daemons. We can barely hold them off as is. Don't you want to give these people a chance? Hope that there is something after all this terror?" Ain's nails dug into his palms as he forced his voice to remain pastoral. What would he do if the old man refused to listen? Verus, and even Gravitas, was coming around. They could see how everything was deteriorating around them, how the men were having a harder and harder time trying to fight off the daemons. The weaker ones were getting stronger, which meant that the giants and the mindflayers were as well.

"That's exactly what I have been doing. This camp is the best shot any of us have at making it through this alive. And you would have us move? Instead of searching for hovels to hide in, why don't you focus on doing your job and killing those monsters?"

"But-"

"I'm done with this, Ain. I'll hear no more about it."

Ain spun on his heels and flung the tent flap open as he stormed from it, a growl radiating deep in his throat. They would all die if he didn't do something. But that damn geezer was too afraid to act. He just sat in his tent, away from all the daemons and fighting, and dictated how everyone else should operate.

"What did he say?" Verus asked as Ain passed by him on his way to get food.

"He won't do anything. He'd sooner let us all die than step out into the city." Annoyance buzzed around him like a fly as he ladled some broth into a chipped bowl. "The longer we wait, the less likely everyone will make it to the channels. It isn't safe here." The bowl _dink'd_ on the improvised table, made from an old wooden door, when Ain sat.

"Did ya tell him that? Doesn't seem like he'd wait for everyone to kick it just to save himself. I mean, he did set up this camp." Gravitas' weight shifted the rickety bench as he took a seat next to Ain.

"He cares more about his own safety than that of everyone here. We need to figure out another way to get them to safety." Ain sipped at the broth, eyebrows knitting together at the bland taste.

"It would seem the best means might be to forego the man completely and speak directly to the people. Let them decide their own fates. If they wish to stick it out here, so be it. We'll only take those who want to go to the channels," Verus suggested.

"I don't like the idea of splitting the people. But you have a point. It's useless to force them to do anything against their will. And if they choose to move on their own, they won't see us as dictators." The raven-haired man mulled over the suggestion in his head. If they chose to ask the people themselves, how should they go about doing it? Asking individually would take too long; the camp was pushing three hundred survivors by now. Should he make an announcement during meal time? What would he even say?

Ain glanced around the sectioned off area full of makeshift tables and benches, counting the heads gathered for dinner - lunch - whatever meal this was considered. The room filled quickly as the citizens filed in for food. With enough people present, his address would spread to the others in no time. All he had to do was wait for the right moment…

When the tables and benches were filled to the max, and the line stretched out the flap of the tent, Ain decided it was time. He pushed himself up and stepped onto the bench, then the table, bracing himself on Gravitas' shoulder.

"If I may, I would like to steal your attention briefly," Ain started, but no one paid him any mind. Frustrated, he tried again. "EXCUSE ME!" he yelled, authority in his voice, and the room quietened to murmurs before falling silent altogether. Ain cleared his throat, nodding politely. "Most of you were brought here by men like Verus, Gravitas, or myself, for the sole purpose of surviving this nightmare we are currently experiencing. We promised you that there would be safety in numbers, and that we would protect you from the monsters outside." Ain deliberated his next words with precise care before continuing, "However, I'm not confident we can keep those promises anymore." Gasps and whispers erupted in a wave across the dining area.

"What do you mean? That's the only reason I brought my daughter here: for protection," a man shouted from the back.

"Me too! Are we not safe here anymore?" a woman chimed in agreement.

"The integrity of this camp is deteriorating with every swarm of daemons that attack. We'll be overrun in a matter of time, unless we do something about it," Verus spoke up to aide Ain.

"What are we supposed to do? Just accept our fate?"

"Our pal Ain here has a plan. Don'tcha, buddy?" Gravitas patted the man on his lower thigh.

"What is it? Your plan?" This time, it was a man sitting one table over that spoke.

"We move the camp. Verus and I scouted out to the edge of the city and found the channels, with a generator to light them up. Having all but one side closed off means we can rest easier and not put such a strain on those who would protect you."

"The outskirts?"

"But that's a long walk from here."

"How would we make it with those monsters out there?"

"That sounds like more trouble than it's worth. There's no guarantee we'd be safer there."

"I think this camp is fine where it is. Why tempt the gods to smite us down?"

The fear was palpable, thick enough that it felt like it might smother Ain if he didn't cut loose and run. But that wasn't the answer, not if he wanted to save these people, from themselves if need be. "The gods _don't care_ about us. They are nowhere to be found while we suffer at the mercy of these daemons. Their concerns lie elsewhere!" Ain near growled his last statement as he recalled Bahamut appearing before him and Ardyn and choosing to take his brother over him. "If we stay here, those monster will breach our walls, and they will kill every one of us. It's only a matter of time."

"If we band together, we can make it to the channels without losses. Allow us to guide you there and protect you."

"Yeah! Just rely on us, that's all ya gotta worry about. We'll handle the rest." Gravitas beat his fist into his left chestplate in a perceived manly fashion.

"When will you leave for the channels?"

"In three day's time. Anyone who wishes to come with us is welcome. We will not force you. If you wish to stay here...then so be it." Ain stepped down, once again using the bulky Gravitas as a prop yet again.

"You think a lot will show?" Gravitas asked.

"Given the time to thoroughly think this through, the majority should be able to see reason and accompany us. There's nothing left for them here except monsters and the vestiges of a once flourishing capital city. Solis will never be the same," Verus answered the question aimed at Ain.

"I hope you're right, Verus. Anyone left behind will likely suffer at the hands of the daemons."

"Indeed."

The crowd of survivors started to gather in the west quarter of the camp early on the third day, carrying all they could in their arms as they prepared to make the trip. Ain's gaze moved over the growing mass of people, there were more than he expected. A small grin curled his lips up; if he had to guess, over a third of the camp's populace was already here.

"It looks as though the people listened to you," Verus said from behind the raven-haired man, giving him a start.

"It's still not enough, but we have another two or three hours before we leave. More may join us."

"Let's hope. I would much prefer to move the entirety of the populace, but there's no sense in forcing those that do not wish to go."

"Where's Gravitas?" Ain asked, scouring the crowd for the hulking man that almost always accompanied Verus.

"I believe he is addressing the Patrocinors, telling them how to best offer their protection to the people as we move," Verus answered, pushing his silver-rimmed glasses back up his nose.

"How many are coming with us?"

"All of them."

"What about the people who elect to stay?"

"It's their choice; we can't force the Patrocinors to stay any more than we can force the people to come with us."

Before Ain could get in another word, a familiar, gruff voice edged closer to him. "Just what do you think you're doing, boy? I told you, we're not moving the camp!" The geezer jammed his finger into Ain's shoulder.

"You don't get to dictate what the people do. It's their choice to make, not yours. I'm taking those who wish to go somewhere more secure, that's all."

"Don't think your pretty words can fool me. You just wanna take these people so you can rule over them!" The accusation in his voice set Ain's veins on fire.

"I want no such thing. When I came to you with concerns of this camp's safety, you shut me down. I went to the people instead, and these are the ones who understand the dangers of staying here." He forced composure into his voice as he spoke. The last thing he needed was to get in a screaming match with the old man, especially not in front of all these people. It could jeopardize the whole ordeal.

"Like Hell anyone is leaving! These people belong to me!" The geezer's voice carried over the rapidly extinguishing conversations.

Ain inwardly smirked. This was the crack he needed to prod in order to shatter the faith the rest of the survivors had in this man. "These people are free citizens of Solis and, ultimately, Solheim. They do _not_ belong to _you_ or anyone else."

"I'm the one that's protected them from the monsters! They should be grateful to me!"

" _Protected_ them? And exactly when were you putting your life on the line for theirs? I don't recall ever seeing you out there in the battlefield. The Patrocinors are the ones who guard their lives, not _you_. It's quite impossible to do from your cozy cushion in the center of camp." Hushed murmurs erupted throughout the crowd.

The old man's face blazed crimson as he fumbled out, "I-It's not about who's out there and who's not. It's about the fact that I created a safe place. What do you know? I've never seen you around until all this started happening. You're behind this, aren't you!?" He shoved his index finger in Ain's face.

"Are you daft? How could a mere human do something like this? Clearly, it was done by otherworldly means. You want to know who brought the night? It was none other than one of your own gods. The ones you cling to so adamantly." Ain turned toward the crowd. "Ifrit is the one who did this to us. He brought something called _Starscourge_ from the astral realm, and now we're stuck in a never ending night! If you seek to blame someone, blame the _gods_." That's right, if not for _them_ , things wouldn't be so screwed up right now. Ardyn wouldn't have gone off to act like a hero, wouldn't have left him alone to fend for himself in an unknown city with no one to turn to for help.

"Blasphemer! How dare you speak of the gods like that! They are kind and just and would never let this happen," the old man snapped.

"What do you know of your gods? Have you ever spoken to them? Have you even _seen_ them? Because I have. It was Bahamut who told me that Ifrit brought the Starscourge. And what are the gods doing about it? _Nothing_. So we have to act ourselves."

"Liar! You have-"

"If Ain says that happened, then it did. Can you offer any other explanation? Because he's right, no human could do something like this. Even with all the technology we have, it would be impossible to cast darkness over the entirety of Eos," Verus interrupted the fuming geezer.

"I…" He couldn't spit out the words. "Fine. Do whatever you want. Take the people. Who needs ya? Who needs any of ya!" The man who once claimed leadership over the survivors forfeited to Ain and shuffled away.

Unbeknownst to Ain, more people gathered during his confrontation with the old man. Whispers spread like a ripple in water, fanning out over the crowd. More than half the citizens in the camp now waited for their departure. It was a stroke of luck that all of the Patrocinors decided to leave with them, because they would need them in order to guard this many people.

"Verus, it's time. You know what to do, right?" Ain asked as he approached Verus at the gate to the camp.

"Yes. I'm not going to stop once we get out there, no matter the circumstances. I'm going to rely on you and the Patrocinors to handle all the daemons." Verus unlatched the locking mechanism.

Ain turned to the people, plastering the best smile he could muster across his face. "Once we step out of this gate, there's no turning back. We will not stop for _any_ reason. We'll attract daemon attention, but _do not_ panic. The Patrocinors will protect you from them. Stay together, and keep moving." He shifted back to Verus and said, "Gravitas is bringing up the rear. I've already sent a few Patrocinors to secure the channels. They should be finished by the time the first citizens arrive."

Verus gave a curt nod to Ain before the gate swung open to an abandoned city. "Stay as close together as possible, and refrain from fanning out." He spoke to the people directly behind him. "Let's get this underway."

If Ain had to make a guess, the entire camp was gathered to leave for the Channels. He breathed a sigh of relief. _They all listened to reason._ He was sure that the spectacle from earlier probably aided in the decision of those who had yet to make up their minds.

At first, the crowd appeared to not move. It was an agonizing wait before Ain could see them thin out. With Verus at the front, and Gravitas at the rear, he decided to take the middle of the column. As the people filed out, Ain heard screams in the distance - the first daemon attacks no doubt. Gunfire broke out shortly after and died down within minutes. From that point on, every now and then there would be bursts of shots proceeded by screams.

With no way to accurately determine exactly when half of the crowd had passed him by, Ain made an educated guess as to the appropriate time. The long line of heads stretched into the darkness and beyond.

"Mommy, I'm scared. What if the monsters attack us?" A child clung to her mother's hang, visibly trembling.

"If they try, they'll have to face me. I'm not an easy man to go through." Ain shot the little girl a toothy grin. Despite hearing the screams and shots in both directions, Ain had yet to come across any daemons. Not even the small fry, like the imps or gelatinous oozes. It was strange that he hadn't crossed paths with a single one. By the time the bridge came into view, a feeling of anxiety and dread washed over him like a cool, summer shower. It had been eerily silent for some time, then he heard it - the creak and groan of metal bending unnaturally.

In an instant, there was a crystalline broadsword in his hand, blocking the thick, burning blade of a red giant. Ain's stomach leapt to his throat at the realization of exactly which daemon he was facing off with. Screams and wailing came from behind him as the people caught sight of the horrifying monstrosity before them. How many had seen one before? Most of the stories he heard from the survivors were encounters with the smaller daemons. He assumed because if someone encountered one like this, they most likely would have been killed. "Keep…moving…I'll...take care...of it!" The words came out strangled as he focused every ounce of strength he could to fend off the overwhelming power of the giant.

The line of people rushed forward in a fit of panic, trying to escape from the giant. They pushed against the slower moving persons in front of them, nearly toppling others over in their terror.

"It's gonna kill us all!"

"Hurry and move!"

"I don't want to die!"

The screams jumbled together and were soon indistinguishable. Ain's teeth ground as his jaw tightened with the effort of fending off the attack. The tip of the giant's sword rested against Ain's. Had it been any closer, the behemoth would have crushed him. He used the length of his weapon to his advantage, tilting it forward and forcing the enormous sword to the side by way of the daemon's own momentum. He ducked from its other hand grasping for him and jogged to one of the Patrocinors preparing to join in the battle.

"No, you have to keep this line moving. I'll take care of this giant by myself. Stir them clear of the fight, and keep them calm."

"But you can't possibly take this thing on alone," the man protested.

"We can't afford to lose any protection for these people. The channels aren't far past the bridge. Get going!" Ain didn't give him a chance to respond before he dashed back toward the red monster. The long sword disappeared from his hand, and a javelin replaced it. He rose it above his shoulder, leaned back, and thrust it forward, releasing it. The barbed head burrowed into the armor on the giant's shoulder, and in a blue haze, Ain hung from it. "Hey, you bastard. Come play with me!" He kicked at the metal, the soles of his shoes _thunking_ with every impact.

The copper colored monster bellowed a deep roar that reverberated in Ain's bones. He glanced back at the survivors; the Patrocinor was hurrying them along, just like he commanded him. Now he needed to keep to his part and distract this thing. It wasn't going to be an easy task, and there was a high probability that he'd die. But it had to be done. He lurched his body forward, then back, swinging from the javelin before he jerked it free, cracking the metallic husk of the giant and flinging himself onto the opposite shoulder as it reached from him.

Ain recalled how he and Ardyn took down the other giant, though it was different in color and weaker than the one he faced now. Maybe the vulnerable spot was the same. When Ain felt the shift in movement underneath him, he pierced the armor with the tip of the spear and clung to it as the daemon wrenched its body forward and backward. It lifted its elbow and shifted the plates around the shoulder that Ain perched, knocking the weapon free. Ain's footing slipped, and the javelin vanished to make way for a dagger, leaving Ain's hand immediately and impaling a lamp post. Before he fell, Ain warped to the blade in a haze of blue, feet dangling as he hung ten feet from the ground. The metal groaned, and the dagger dislodged from the pole. Ain hit the concrete and rolled in time to dodge the oncoming assault of the giant.

His feet slid across the cement as he pushed himself up. Without a way to distract this monster, how could he get behind it? He successfully drew its attention away from the crowd, but how was he supposed to actually defeat the thing? Even knowing its weakness didn't help if he couldn't reach it. If Ardyn was here, this would be easy. He shook his head, raven hair tumbling around his face. _No, I don't need him. I can do this._

The giant rose its massive, scorching blade above its head, crimson glowing hollows where the eyes would have been focused in on him. Its metal body creaked and groaned as the armor moved, playing a song of intent, giving Ain just enough of a hint that he could leap out of the way before the daemon cracked the ground with its weapon.

Ain bolted up the blade, swapping dagger for crossbow. His boots _clomped_ on the dense plate as he sprinted up the arm, shooting an arrow into the eye hollow. A crystalline katana appeared and he wrapped both hands around the hilt, following up with an upward slash. He jumped across to the adjacent shoulder and grabbed the dual swords that floated next to him, rushing forward and thrusting both into the giant's jaw. The daemon reached for him, movements stagnating. _I have to protect these people. Ardyn left, abandoned them. I'm all they have - their last chance and survival!_ A crystalline scepter flashed into existence, and he jammed the tip into the monster's chest as he jumped down, catching himself with it and using the momentum to swing back up, latching onto a large shuriken above the giant's head. He spun and launched the star into the crevice between shoulder and neck and vanished in blue. Azure light illuminated the darkness around the daemon as Ain stood behind its leg, jabbing a short sword into the joint.

 _How am I doing this? The weapons aren't disappearing. They are all still in this realm._ The crystalline weapons sparkled in the light surrounding him, each still where he struck the giant. The monster let out a pain filled howl and swung its massive arm around behind it in an attempt to swat Ain. It met with a shield, Ain's soles scraping across the concrete at the force of impact. He released the shield to grab a full length, one handed sword and pierced it through the hull of the giant's calf. The armor around the giant groaned and buckled as the daemon collapsed to hands and knees.

Ain darted under an arm, fingers wrapping around the hilt of a long blade as his feet scampered across the ground. He shoved the sword into the red giant's bulky hand, trapping it again the ground. He felt something wrap around his body, squeezing, and remembered the sensation from before. Before the daemon could close its stubby fingers around him, Ain drove a final sword into the palm, bending it back until the blade sunk into its wrist. He dashed up the arm once again, reaching out for the mace as he made it to the top and slammed it into the side of the monster's neck, shattering the armor surrounding it. Ain switched to a battleaxe and jammed it between the plates, prying them apart as his free hand grasped a trident and drove it deep into the giant's neck.

If he were a praying man, he'd be praying to the Six right about now. "Just die…" he heaved, sweaty hands gripping the hilts of the axe and trident as a mean to hold his balance. That was it - he had nothing else left to throw at it. All of the weapons cracked and broke away in glimmers of silver and blue. His weight shifted, but instead of falling back, he was thrown forward as the armor before him started collapsing in on itself. _I did it…? I did it! I took this bastard down on my own._ His smile stretched from ear to ear as he watched the daemon melted into the ground and disappeared.

"Ain! Did you…on your own...?" Gravitas' voice shook him from his stupor as he heard his comrade's clunky footsteps approaching.

"Yeah…" He barely believed it himself, if he hadn't been there, seen it - if it had been _anyone_ else, he would never be able to accept it.

" _How?_ "

"I…I don't know. It's kind of a blur. I think it had something to do with the Armiger."

"Are ya kiddin'? How can ya not know?"

"I was acting on instincts, Gravitas. I don't know how else to explain it."

"Ain, Gravitas, why are you loitering around? The last of the citizens are being escorted into the channels as we speak. Let us join them." Verus approached from the opposite direction.

Ain claimed a private tunnel chamber for himself while he, Verus, and Gravitas discussed what would come of the camp. The move to the underground tunnels was a smart choice, but would it be the best place for the survivors to stay? If the channels proved to be a safe haven from the daemons, then there would be no need to move, or so Gravitas kept insisting.

"But what if there are safer places outside the city? This place is crawling with those monsters, and there's no telling if or _when,_ to be more precise, they will find their way down here. I say we immediately send out scouts and search for a place where we would face less of a threat." Verus argued his point, but the burly man stood his ground.

"If we send men out now, we'll be left with a hole in our defenses. We need to prove to these people that we can keep 'em safe before we start sending away the best of the Patrocinors."

"Before we can convince them we're able to keep them from harm's way, we need to determine who will lead this group of citizens. We revolted against the only leadership they knew in this darkness. We have a responsibility to see they have someone they can turn to for guidance," Verus paused, a thoughtful expression etched over his features before continuing, "We should give them the option of choosing their own leader." Verus straightened his glasses when they slid down the arch of his nose.

"How would we do that? Go up to each of 'em and ask who they want in charge? There're hundreds of people down here, and they're all scattered in the channels right now." Gravitas pointed out, arms folded over his broad chest.

"Well, yes, that is one way to-"

"I say we put good ol' Ain here in charge. He's a natural. He was able to get us all down here in one piece. Plus, he put that geezer in his place when he tried to stop us," Gravitas interrupted Verus.

"If we just decide their leader for them, we are no better than the predecessors who all but declared themselves rulers of the people. These survivors deserve to have a say in the matter." Verus was unbudging in his insistence.

Ain quietly listened to the back and forth between the two men, waiting to see if they came up with a solution before he voiced his opinion. Governing a populace, even of only a few hundred seemed quite the task, and he wasn't sure if he could do such a thing. He'd never done something even remotely similar before. Ardyn was always the one to make the decisions where his life was concerned; it was Ardyn who decided they should make haste to Solis before this accursed darkness fell over the land.

"If you're not gonna change your mind on this, then fine. But how do you suggest we get it done? Asking every single person would take too long." Gravitas' brow furrowed over his dark, chocolaty eyes as his voice teemed with annoyance.

"We'll send what Patrocinors we can spare to the different sectors and take a majority vote. Does that satisfy your need to be in a rush about it?" Verus shot the burly man a victorious smirk that earned him an exaggerated eye roll.

"Yeah, yeah. Fine."

"It's settled, then?" Ain finally spoke up. Not knowing the people as well as the two sitting before him, he thought it best to let them decide the fate of leadership. He couldn't deny that when Gravitas suggested Ain take charge that a twinge of excitement and, more over, pride rushed through his veins. They had faith in him, faith that he could not only protect them in crisis, but lead them as well.

Gravitas exited the room for a few brief moments as he spoke with two Patrocinors standing outside the door. When he returned, he gave Verus a nod and said, "They're going to pull everyone except those guarding the main entrance and tunnels leading further in. All we have to do wait."

When the first of the Patrocinors came back, Ain couldn't believe what the young lady said. There's no way he heard her right - there just wasn't.

"I'm sorry, will you please repeat that?" Ain asked with an arched eyebrow.

"The two sectors I spoke with unanimously voted for you, Ain, to be their new leader. And if I may state my personal opinion, I am in agreeance. The way you took down that monster...no one here, even among the Patrocinors, could have done that. Even if several of us teamed up." She spoke with adoration while a small blush dusted her pale cheeks.

Ain couldn't find words to express how flattered he felt that it was more than just Gravitas that held a belief that he was capable of leading. When a second, and third Patrocinor arrived with the same results, an overwhelming sense of pride filled him. If the people wanted him to govern and protect them, he wouldn't let anything stop him from doing his best.

The loneliness Ain felt from Ardyn's abandonment lessened with every day he spent in the presence of his new found friends, and even more so as the people began to turn to him with the last bit of hope they could muster in a rapidly darkening situation. What would Ardyn say if he could see him now? Would he be jealous of Ain? Ardyn might have been chosen by the Gods, but Ain had the people of Solis at his back - and to him, that was what truly mattered.


End file.
